Freeview NZ to use DVB-I

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mclean

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#3493439 18-May-2026 15:22

freitasm:

If you have Freeview terrestrial (as in you can get broadcast TV with an antenna), great.

If not, you can add a Fire TV stick, Google TV Streamer or Apple TV and just use the live streaming. Or if you buy a new TV it will be built-in, just like the antenna support already is.

Also, there is no mention of retiring the terrestria or satellite options.

Your second option might depend on whether the stream is encrypted. The way things are going with ATSC 3.0 in the US, DRM could leave boxes like the Roku/Fire TV/Apple TV out in the cold.

openmedia

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#3493466 18-May-2026 16:47

I'd expect to see some software implementations. I'm hoping that linear broadcast doesn't adopt DRM, but we'll have to wait an see.

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

Apsattv

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#3493788 19-May-2026 15:25

I wonder if a channel has to be a Freeview partner to be available on the DVB-I system, or they will restrict the access?

What if a 3rd party wants to run a channel?

fe31nz

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#3493888 19-May-2026 23:14

Apsattv:

I wonder if a channel has to be a Freeview partner to be available on the DVB-I system, or they will restrict the access?

What if a 3rd party wants to run a channel?

Anyone can set up their own DVB-I system, and DVB-I capable devices are supposed to be able to use as many DVB-I sources as you want. How they would integrate on a device would be dependent on the device - hopefully they would all be merged into one EPG display. Having to switch between different DVB-I systems would be a pain, but I bet someone will design a device that way at some point in time.

If we are lucky here in NZ, Freeview will allow third parties to just add channels to their DVB-I setup. But then they may impose conditions for allowing that, like they do with Freeview approved devices now, such as not allowing easy methods to skip the ads.

RedactedRetracted

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#3494249 20-May-2026 21:19

I managed to find the service list on Google: https://slr.switch.tv/static/servicelists/dvbi_service_list.xml

Seems like it's currently just using the same streams as what the current Freeview app uses. Also looks like TVNZ 1/2/Duke are DRM protected.

openmedia

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#3494345 21-May-2026 09:27

RedactedRetracted:

I managed to find the service list on Google: https://slr.switch.tv/static/servicelists/dvbi_service_list.xml

Seems like it's currently just using the same streams as what the current Freeview app uses. Also looks like TVNZ 1/2/Duke are DRM protected.

Nice work. Now it looks like the DRM mode for TVNZ is cenc which I think means the client needs to have the DRM key. That is going to be very frustrating.

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

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openmedia

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#3494589 21-May-2026 19:38

I've added a conversion script to my MythTV IPTV tools that can convert the DVB-I service xml file into an XMLTV compatible m3u8 file.

https://github.com/steven-ellis/mypvr-nz-iptv

Sadly I can't process the DRM that TVNZ have, but the other TV/Radio channels with valid streams appear to work. Feel free to try it out as I'm testing it with some of the other overseas examples. The m3u8 file works with VLC and mpv, please test with other tools.

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

Gordy7

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#3494607 22-May-2026 00:09

My 6 month old LG UA8450 TV does not appear to support DVB-I.

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.

openmedia

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#3494653 22-May-2026 09:06

Gordy7:

My 6 month old LG UA8450 TV does not appear to support DVB-I.

The current statement from Freeview NZ is that TCL and Hisense will be their launch partners. Based on what I can see it should just require a software upgrade for recent sets.

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

openmedia

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#3499867 3-Jun-2026 12:36

Is anyone else here keen to collaborate on DVB-I

I've now found service lists for a number of overseas providers, plus two different lists for Freeview NZ. Sadly TVNZ's channels all appear to be using DRM at present, and require a key that is only provided to TV manufacturers rather than a platform like WideVine.

Here is a web based app that can tune into a bunch of overseas feeds, including some 8k sample videos

https://aws.onscreenpublisher.co.uk/?id=117&platform=iPadWeb&appConfig=57848075cb156c856a59d8a7d2de15a0

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

openmedia

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#3499883 3-Jun-2026 12:51

And another handy reference player

https://dvb-i-reference.dvb.org/client/frontend/android/player.html

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

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